Curiosity Killed the Cat, A Kyo love story
by Kamikaze222
Summary: When the wild and beautiful Arianna Kotami meets Kyo he doesn't know what to think. He sets out to win her friendship, and maybe even her heart, though how will these two fiery personalities co-exist and what secret is Arianna hiding? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

"_Once upon a time, _

_Something happened to me,_

_It was the sweetest thing_

_That could ever be;_

_A fantasy, a dream come true._

_It was the day that I met you."_

_-Unknown_

Ari

"Oh, Ari, look what I got you!" Aunt Kaori giggled, skipping into my room and placing a long blue box on my bed.

"What'cha got?" I asked, putting my book down and standing up, walking across the room to her.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Aunt Kaori sighed, holding up a knee length baby pink dress. It had tank top sleeves and the bodice was covered with little white and pink flowers. It wasn't exactly my style, but it was cute.

"It's nice." I nodded. It looked like it had been stripped right off a baby doll.

"Try it on!" She urged, jumping around. I nodded, unable to say no to her enthusiasm. I took the dress in my hands and retreated into the bathroom, stripping down and pulling the dress over my head, careful not to let the cross that was forecer around my neck catch on the delicate fabric. I walked out and my Aunt gasped. I caught my reflection in a mirror and laughed. If I was out to look like a fairy princess the dress would've been perfect. Though I had to give her credit, it was cute. Aunt Kaori and I didn't exactly see eye to eye on clothing but I loved her to death. She took me in as if I were her own daughter, and if modeling a few frilly dresses made her happy then I would do it with a smile on my face.

"You're beautiful, Hon." She smiled and I laughed again.

"Thanks, aunt Kaori." I smiled back and glanced down at my watch. "I gotta go or I'm gonna be late for work." I said, hugging my Aunt before returning to my bathroom and changing. I rushed out of the house, not wanting to be late. I came around a corner and barely stopped myself from running into Yuki Sohma.

'Damn, that was a close one.' I thought to myself. The last thing I needed was to transform in front of Yuki and have to find an explanation for that.

"Hey, Yuki." I smiled and he smiled back.

"Good afternoon, Miss Ari. How have you been lately?" Yuki asked.

"Great, actually. I just got a job at the cafe a few blocks from here." I said and he looked interested. I always liked Yuki. Not in the crazy fan girl way that half the school liked him, but he was always nice to me so I was nice back to him.

"That's great. Congratulations. My cousins and I learned matrial arts from the dojo near there," He explained.

"Awesome, me too!" I grinned, about to say more when I was interrupted by an orange haired boy storming up to Yuki.

"Dammit, Yuki, I told you to wait for me!" He snapped.

"You should have been ready to go when I was, and don't raise your voice. You're being terribly rude to Miss Ari." Yuki scolded and orange haired boy suddenly noticed my presence. His face turned red and he looked away.

"Who's your friend?" I asked Yuki.

"This is my cousin, Kyo Sohma. He'll be coming to our school starting tomorrow." Yuki said, a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Oh, nice to meet you, Kyo. I'm Ari." I said, holding out my hand. He stared at me a moment before shaking my hand and nodding. Some people may have thought him rude, but I figured he was just shy.

"Miss Ari, weren't you rushing a moment ago? I hope my cousin and I aren't holding you up." Yuki smiled.

"Shit, gotta go. Thanks. See you tomorrow. Later guys!" I said, getting around them before running to work.

...

Kyo

...

"You are an idiot." Yuki said once Ari had run far enough away that she couldn't hear him.

"How's that, Rat boy?!" I yelled.

"She was being nice to you and introducing herself and you couldn't even say a word. You were very rude." Yuki said, rolling his eyes as we continued to walk.

"Just shut up!" I snarled, face turning red again. I wasn't used to people being that nice to me. I didn't know how to react. It didn't help that she was drop dead gorgeous, making it even harder to talk.

"Come on. Let's get what Tohru needs and get back to the house." Yuki said, crossing the street to the grocery store and going in.

(the next day)

"Don't worry, Kyo, it's gonna be fine. I'm sure you'll love the school." Shigure cheered as we finished eating breakfast. I glared at him.

"Really, Kyo, it's a great school." Tohru smiled. I didn't look at her, not wanting to glare at her too.

"We're going to be late." Yuki said, looking at his watch.

"Have a nice day! Go make friends!" Shirugre smiled and I knew he was talking to me. 'Yeah, who'd want to be friends with me? They'd have to be mental," I thought as we left the house.

(later)

"I hate this school already." I groeled as we walked into the school, though half of my was scanning the crowds of students for Ari.

"Don't think like that! I bet you'll make loads of friends!" Tohru cheered, smiling broadly at me. I admired her optimism, but it's effect was lost on me.

"Let's find your classes, cat boy." Yuki said, taking my schedule from me and looking it over. "This way." He said, walking off. I snatched my schedule back and followed him, glaring at the world as I walked.

"Here we are! You have the same first block class with me and Yuki." Tohru smiled as we walked in.

"I'll be back. I have something to take care of in the main office." Yuki said before walking off.

As soon as I sat down I was surrounded by girls, interrogating me about Yuki. 'Just ignore them. Just ignore them. Just ignore them,' I chanted in my head.

"Hey, give him a break! Back off!" a sharp female voice snapped. I knew it wasn't Tohru but I was too busy trying not to lose it to check who it was.

I got up, fully intent on getting the hell out of there, when one of the girled latched onto my arm, saying something I didn't hear.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled, forcing her off me and running for the closest exit; the window.

...

Ari

...

"Morning, Ari." Uo said, catching up with me and walking beside me. We'd known each other since I moved in with my Aunt. She only lived a few blocks away from my Aunt's supersized Barbie dream house.

"Morning." I said back, "So how'd you do on that English paper?" I asked her.

"B+" She grinned.

"I got a B, which is pretty amazing because I wrote it during lunch on the day it was due." I laughed as we walked into first block class.

"Who's the newbie?" Uo asked and I turned my attention to the orange haired kid surrounded by Yuki's fan girls. I recognized him.

"That's Kyo Sohma, Yuki's cousin." I said.

"Oh, you know Kyo?" Tohru asked, coming up to us with Hana at her side.

"Yeah. I ran into him and Yuki the other day on my way to work," I told her, turning my attention back to Kyo.

"Poor guy," Hana sighed, watching the fan girls swarm him.

"I can't take this," I said, stepping forward. "Hey, give him a break! Back off!" I snapped. Most of the girls jumped or flinched, but their determination didn't waver. Kyo jumped up and went for the door when one of the girls grabbed onto his arm.

"Hey, wait up," She smiled.

"Leave me alone!" He yelled, pushing her off and running for the window, diving out of it for dear life.

"Kyo!" tohru and I both yelped at the same time and ran to the window to see if he was okay. I knew I could make that jump, but I wasn't so sure about him. Sure enough, he landed gracefully and took off.

"Now look what you did!" I snapped, handing my bag to Uo. "Please put this outside, and his stuff too?" I asked and she nodded. "Move it." I ordered and the two girls blocking the open 

window cleared the way instantly. Before someone could stop me I jumped from the window, catching myself on a tree branch and flipping in the air before landing softly on the ground. I saw a flash of orange high in a tree a good distance away from me and took off, looking up when I got to the tree to find Kyo Sohma perched at the very top.

"That was one hell of a jump." I commented and he jumped, not expecting anyone to follow him. His eyes widened when he saw who had come to get him.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked and I laughed.

"That's a fine way to thank the person that came out here to check on you." I said as I easily climbed the tree, reaching Kyo in seconds. He looked shocked at my climbing abilities.

"You were the one who yelled at those girls." He stated. It wasn't a question.

"At your service." I nodded.

"You didn't have to do that. I can take care of myself!... that's not what I …uhh," He said, struggling for words.

"You're welcome." I said and he nodded. "Let's get back to class. Your first day probably isn't the best day to skip."

"You're right." He sighed. I leaped from branch to branch, easily reaching the bottom. Kyo just jumped down, landing in a cat like fashion.

We walked in silence. I wasn't one that felt the need to fill every silence with useless conversation. Besides, the silence was nice, not awkward at all. Kyo seemed like he was going to say something a few times, but never did.

"Follow my lead." I said once we reached our first block class. I grabbed my bag and handed him his, walking in to Mr. Takani half way through the roll call.

"Miss Ari, you are late again!" Mr. Takani snapped. I wasn't exactly his favorite student.

"Sorry sir, just showing the new student around. Lost track of time. It's completely my fault." I lied smoothly and Mr. Takani believed me.

"Whatever, just take your seats." He said. The only free seats were the two at the very back. I gave Kyo a quick victory grin before grabbing my notebook and opening it to a clean page.

...

Hope you liked the first chapter!

-Rosetta


	2. Chapter 2

"_If you can't get someone out of your head, maybe they're supposed to be there."_

_-Unknown_

Kyo

…

"That was really nice of Ari to get you out of trouble like that." Tohru said as we sat down to eat lunch. It was just me and her. Hana, Up, and Yuki were still in line.

"Yeah." I said absentmindedly. That girl, Ari, had been on my mind all dat, I couldn't understand what made her want to be so nice to me and it was pissing me off because I was confused.

I looked around the room and found her seated at a table with two girls and three guys. She looked all business as she handed them each a few papers. She saw me looking at her and smiled, raising her hand in a lazy wave. I waved back but looked away, unable to keep my face from turning red.

"She'd make a good friend for you, Kyo. She runs the after school Martial Arts club and she's really nice too." Tohru smiled. I couldn't see a girl like her wanting to be friends with me.

"Who's really nice?" Uo asked as she sat down beside Tohru.

"Ari." Tohru smiled.

"Yeah, she's nice, but don't get on her bad side. That girl can kick ass and she's feisty." Uo said and Hana nodded in agreement.

"A boy last year was picking on one of the… less experienced students in her Martial arts club and she put him through a wall." Hana said in her usual mysterious and misty voice.

"She's usually quite pleasant, though." Yuki added as he sat down.

"Hey, why the red face carrot top?" Uo smirked, just noticing the blush that I hadn't quite managed to get under control yet.

"Shut up, Yankie," I growled, letting my eyes find Ari again, looking away before she caught me.

(later)

'Finally, last period class and then I can get out of here,' I thought as I walked into the science room, taking a seat at the back of the class. A few people went to sit by me, but my 'I hate the world' glare scared them off. I was staring straight ahead and saw Ari skid into the classroom right as the bell rung.

"You just barely made it, Ari." Mr. Osono laughed. "Find a place to sit."

She turned and walked right up to the place beside me and sat down. Everyone was seated in twos. I was about to feel a little special when I noticed that it was the last place left to sit down.

"Alright, wherever your sitting is where you're sitting for the rest of the semister. Starting next week we get into doing labs and experiments. No more easy worksheets and such." Mr. Osono laughed and half the class groaned. Ari didn't. "Okay, there's some lab safety papers on your stations. Look them over. I didn't plan anything else for you to do, so take time to get to know your 

lab partner, cause if you can't work well together someone's going to get hurt." Mr. Osono said, sitting down at his desk and hiding behind a newspaper.

"I love this class. Mr. Osono rocks." Ari laughed.

"Thank you, Ari. Now read your papers." He said and Ari chuckled as she picked up her stack and rifled through them. I picked up mine too and pretended to read.

"Okay, so don't eat anything, don't put anything up my nose, and don't pour anything in my eyes. Seems pretty basic." Ari grinned as she set down her papers. I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Aaaah, so the newbie does have a sense of humor," She smiled as she fiddled with a silver cross on a long chain around her neck.

"Sometimes." I replied, putting down my papers as well.

"Well it looks like you're stuck with me till the end of the semester. Think you can put up with me?" She asked.

"I'll manage." I smirked and then I got quiet. Tohru lived with me. Uo and Hana were her best friends. They all had reasons to talk to be. She had no reason to be kind to me and I didn't know why she even bothered. She saw the look on my face and didn't say anything else. I knew it wasn't because she was afraid of me. She was giving me space.

The bell rang and both of us waited for the crowd to clear before exiting. I went to talk to her a few times, but then backed down.

"I'm not going to bite your head off if you talk to me." She laughed once we reached the lockers. My face turned red. "If you have something to say, then say it."

She turned the lock on her locker and threw her books inside, pulling out her messenger bag.

"…Why are you being so nice to me?" I asked, my voice probably sounding harsher than it needed to be.

"Do I need a reason to be nice to you?" She asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, you do!" I said angrily. She was turning my question around and it wasn't helping my understand anything.

She turned to me, eyes narrowed and looking annoyed. "I'm being nice to you because you're the cousin of the most popular guy in school, and I figured it's gotta suck to be swarmed by girls that are only talking to you to learn stuff about him! I figured you might like having a friend who wasn't just spending time with you to get to Yuki!" She snapped, eyes blazing and fists clenched. Tohru and Uo were right. She was fierce. She slammed her locker door shut and stalked off.

If I wasn't so damn determined to win the argument I might have realized the meaning of her words. "Don't waste your time! I don't need a friend!" I called after her. She stopped and turned to look at me. If looks could kill I probably would've been dead right about then.

I stormed home, ignoring Shirugre's welcome speech and slamming my door shut. I heard Tohru ask Yuki what was wrong with me and he said he didn't know. I couldn't get her out of my head. Every time I blinked I saw her glaring with those intense eyes, and I just got pissed off at myself for making her that angry for no good reason.

It was an hour or so before I came down, happy to find Yuki gone, off shopping for food with Tohru.

"Kyo, can you come in here a second?" Shigure called and I reluctantly went into his library/study room and plopped down on the floor. "You seem upset. Something wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it," I said, looking away from him. I realized about half an hour ago how big of an ass I was to her.

"Yuki and Tohru told me about your new friend, Ari. Is it something about her?" Shigure asked. I found it amazing that he asked two serious questions in a row.

"She's not my friend." I sighed.

"Why not? From what Tohru told me, she was very kind to you."

"I made her mad. She wanted to be my friend and I pissed her off for no damn reason." I said, standing up and going to punch the wall, but stopping myself at the last second. I didn't want to have to repair the wall myself.

"You just stopped yourself from damaging my home because you have some sense of self control over your body. It takes self control to deal with people too, especially people we don't understand. But when you find someone who honestly wants to be your friend and get to know you then you should try your hardest to be a friend back to that person." Shigure said, displaying knowledge that he so often hid with his perverted nature.

"She probably hates me. I was so mean to her." I sighed.

"If she really wants to be your friend, she'll forgive you and learn to accept that you have a hard time controlling your temper. Apologize, and give her a chance to get to know you." Shigure smiled and I nodded. I would talk to her tomorrow and pray that she would listen to me.

...

Ruh Roh. :( Well let's hope Ari can forgive him. Hope you liked the second chapter.

-Rosetta


	3. Chapter 3

"_Keep your head up and your arms out; you never know what may fall into your life."_

_-Unknown_

Ari

…

'Serves me right for doing something nice,' I thought bitterly as I marched to school, clutching the cross around my neck like I would hold a flotation device if I was drowning. My Aunt knew I was mad, but was kind enough not to press me for details. I suppose Kyo wasn't entirely wrong in thinking. It was strange that someone would just decide to be kind to someone on a whim, but I was a strange person so it fit. Besides, he didn't have to be a jerk about it. I normally wasn't that friendly to people… but he seemed like he needed a friend.

I found my locker almost robotically and exchanged my messenger bag for a book bag filled with knowledge filled books. When I closed my locker I saw a very flustered Kyo standing near me. When he caught my glance he stepped closer.

"You're right to be... mad at me. You can waste your time if you want… I mean… I won't stop you from being friends with me… and if you want to be mad at me you can do that too. Hell, hit me if you want, kick me through a wall… I suck at this apology stuff…" He managed to get out. I got the impression that he didn't apologize very often. I thought for a moment. Kyo seemed a lot like me; hot-headed, easily ticked off, and once they're mad it's impossible to keep your mouth shut. I figured he wouldn't even be apologizing if he didn't feel bad.

"I forgive you," I told him and he looked shocked. For as angry as I could get sometimes and how well I could hold a grudge, I gave myself credit for being pretty forgiving.

"You don't hate me?" He asked in disbelief.

"No," I laughed. "I don't hate you and I'm not mad at you anymore. Let's start over," I smiled, setting down my book bag and holding out my hand. "I'm Ari. Nice to meet you."

He smiled. He had a beautiful smile. "I'm Kyo. Nice to meet you too."

…

Kyo

…

"I'm so glad you're not upset anymore. I like to see a happy Kyo!" Tohru smiled as we sat down, again the first at the table.

"What's up with that Ari girl anyways?" I asked her, knowing that if anyone else was at the table I would not have asked.

"No one knows much about her. Not even Uo and they're close friends. I know she's amazing at sports and that she's good at Science. She's really nice too," Tohru said apologetically, sorry she couldn't tell me more. Uo, Hana, and Yuki sat down right as Ari got out of line. "Ari! Want to sit with us?" Tohru called. Ari smiled and nodded, making her way over to our table. The only open spot was next to me.

I thought about what Ari said, and she was right. She was one of the only people who talked to me as Kyo, not as Yuki's cousin. I didn't know why she cared, but she did. And maybe… maybe I could care for her back.

"Hey, everyone." Ari smiled as she sat down.

"Hey. How many applications have you gotten so far for the martial arts club?" Uo asked and I remembered the people she was sitting with yesterday. They must want in her club.

"Not many, actually. Out of those five yesterday only one girl and one boy actually joined. I tend to scare people off." Ari laughed.

"Kyo loves to fight. He's a black belt. Yuki too." Tohru smiled.

"Yes, Yuki told me the other day. How about it, Prince? Up for a match?" She grinned at Yuki who laughed.

"No thank you, miss Ari, I have far too much on my plate with the student Council elections," Yuki smiled.

"How about you, Kyo? You could stop by tonight and see if you might want to join. It's really just a place for us to practice on each other and learn new moves, but we have a lot of fun with it." Ari smiled and I nodded.

"Sounds fun." I smirked. 'Yes, the more I practice the better I get! Then I can finally beat that Damn Rat!' I thought to myself and Ari laughed. Tohru was giggling too. I guess my face was displaying my thoughts plainly enough.

"You look excited," Ari smiled. "Anyways, it starts at four, ends at five.

"Look out, Carrot top, Ari kicks ass." Uo grinned.

(later)

"Kyo, I need you to stay here for a bit." Mr. Osono said after class.

"Just catch up when you can. Room 303." Ari said, smiling as she walked out.

"Alright, I just need you to fill out these papers, and take these home and have your guardian sign them. And I have some papers that should catch you up with that all we've covered so far. Don't worry, it's not much. It you have problems with anything just come to me, or to Ari. She can explain things just as well as I can." Mr. Osono laughed. It was half an hour before I filled out everything that I needed and got all the papers sorted out.

"Can I go now?" I asked, trying not to sound irritated.

"Yes, go. I'll see you tomorrow." Mr. Osono laughed and ushered me out.

"Room 303." I said to myself as I looked for the room where the club met. I found it and walked in. There were about a dozen of people in there besides Ari. All of them sparing in various locations throughout the room and all of them looked like they knew what they were doing.

"Taka, keep up your defense. It looks shaky. Rina, space your feet further apart. Your getting knocked off balance too easily… Yeah, there you go!" She instructed, smiling as she critiqued. "Hey, Kyo." She smiled, walking over to me. "What do you think? They're amazing, aren't they?" She smiled, looking like a mother hen.

"They are, but I've heard that you're really good too." I smirked.

"Would you like to see for yourself?" She smirked right back. "I'm not busy. I can fight you right now."

"Yeah! Bring it on!" I smirked, happy for a match. I'd just have to be careful or I'd transform.

"Clear the space. I have a challenger." Ari said, barely above normal talking level, though everyone cleared the way as if she had shouted angrily. "Thank you. Taka, Sorin, would you mind moving all the mats to the center of the room?" She asked and the two biggest boys in the room collected all the fighting mats from around the room and put them together in the middle, making one big arena. "Take off your shoes, please." She smiled and I took them off. I fought better barefooted anyways. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, but I want a fair fight. I won't use dirty tricks on you, so don't use them on me. Ready?" She asked and I nodded.

I couldn't force myself to think of Ari as a real opponent, though. She was just so beautiful and so slim, I thought I might break her in half if I hit her too hard. 'I'll take it a little easy on her.' I thought as she ran at me, instantly throwing strike after strike at me. She was strong, I gave her that much, though I managed to block her well enough. She kneeled to the ground, doing a low, scything sweep with left leg. I jumped to avoid it but she was in the air and attacking me again before I even landed. I blocked her first few hits, throwing in a few hits of my own which she blocked easily. 'Okay, maybe taking it easy on her wasn't the best idea.' I thought as she jumped into the air and high kicked me, hitting me hard in the side with her foot. She jumped behind me, kicking me forward. I lost my balance but did not fall. Before I even knew what happened she was in front of me again. She struck me in the shoulder once and then put all her strength into a strike at the center of my chest, knocking me backwards. I fell, her falling with me, but right as I hit the ground she pulled her knees forward, landing with one knee on either side of me, one hand still on my chest and the other balled up into a fist directly in front of my face. She looked angry.

"I hope you learned your lesson. Don't take it easy on me just because I'm a girl. Don't feel alone, though. Every guy in this room learned the same lesson." She smirked grimly as she 

gracefully leaped to her feet and offered me a hand. I took it and she pulled me up. Something confused me, though. She was too close to me when she landed. I should've transformed. I was glad I didn't… but I should have.

"That's enough for today, I think. We'll finish off a little early. Taka, Sorin, put up the mats if you would." She asked and they nodded. Taka patted me on the shoulder as he came to collect the mats.

"You are definitely not the first one to make that mistake. Don't worry about it, though." Taka smiled.

"You're bleeding." Ari said, turning her attention to me again. She was looking at me neck. I felt and sure enough I felt something wet on my neck. My fingertips were red when I pulled them away from my neck. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I've got a first aid kit. It you sit over there I'll get that taken care of." Ari said. I nodded and sat down.

"Any pointers, Ari?" A girl about half my size asked Ari. Though I seemed to remember seeing her hold her own against some of the older, bigger students.

"You're doing great, Suteki, just remember to swing your body when you punch and aim for the side of the stomach, not the waist, when you do a side kick." Ari said and Suteki nodded before leaving with the other students.

"Later, Ari." Taka said.

"Yeah, don't kill anyone before next week." Sorin grinned as he left.

"I promise nothing." Ari called after them, smiling as she walked over to me, digging a first aid kit out of a cabinet before sitting next to me.

"I'm sorry… for taking it easy on you… just because you're a girl." I said without looking at her. It was the second time I'd apologized to the same person that day, a new record for me.

"It's alright. I know you learned your lesson. No one takes it easy on me twice." Ari grinned and I smirked.

"Yeah, that's for sure." I said. She was vicious, and I got the feeling that she wasn't attacking me as hard as she could have.

"Hope I didn't wound your ego too much," Ari grinned, leaning closer to me and wiping the blood off my neck.

"It's my fault," I sighed and it was true. If I had taken her seriously I might have won, or at least not looked like such an amateur in front of her and the rest of the club.

"Well you did better than half the guys that fought me for the first time. I'm impressed, honestly. So what do you think? Gonna come back next week?" She asked, dabbing something wet on my neck. It stung, so I guessed it was antiseptic.

"Yeah, I guess. The practice will help me," I shrugged.

"Great! I'll bring you an application paper tomorrow. It's just so I can have your information on file, and all that fun junk," She said, smiling as she gently placed a band aid on my neck, her fingers brushing up against my skin. It felt like an electric shock ran through my whole body and I shivered. "All better," She grinned as she kissed her thumb and pressed it against the band aid. I forced myself not to blush. "Come on, let's get out of here," She smiled, grabbing her book bag and walking downstairs to the lockers.

"Shit, it's raining." I said, already feeling weak.

"I love the rain. It's beautiful," Ari grinned as she shoved her book bag into her locker and pulled out her messenger bag. She dug out an umbrella. "Afraid to get wet?" She smirked.

"No, I just don't like it," I said. I couldn't exactly tell her that I hate the rain because I transform into a cat when I'm hugged by a member of the opposite sex, and cats hate getting wet.

"Here, I don't need it," She said, handing me the umbrella and walking off. "See you tomorrow," She grinned as she ran into the rain, disappearing around the corner before I could say goodbye. I smiled as I opened the umbrella and walked out into the rain.

.O.O.O.O.

Hope you liked it. I liked writing this chapter. Reviews would be appriciated.

-Rosetta


	4. Chapter 4

"_Love waits for one thing- the right moment."_

_-Unknown_

Kyo

…

"Did you enjoy the martial arts club meeting?" Tohru asked once I was in the door.

"I'll bet Ari beat him." Yuki smirked and I glared at him.

"Yeah, and she could whip your skinny punk ass too." I glowered.

"Oh, good, you two have made up! I'm just glad you didn't transform while you were fighting." Shigure said. I didn't tell him about how I should've transformed. I figured it was just a onetime fluke.

"I'm going upstairs," I said, taking the steps four at a time. I dropped my bag in my room and went onto the roof.

Ari was amazing, that was true enough. She was spontaneous and funny and she wanted to know me, Kyo because of who I was, not because I was Yuki's cousin. She was different, but she was still a normal human… though as far as normal humans go… she was pretty damn awesome.

…

Ari

…

I started walking once Kyo couldn't see me anymore, tucking my cross safely inside my shirt so it wouldn't rust. I loved the rain. It made me feel so peaceful.

I couldn't help but think of Kyo on my way home. All my life I had learned to be guarded and careful around boys so I wouldn't transform, and whether he realized it or not… he was knocking down all my barriers. I completely forgot about my transformation when I Took Kyo down, and I could only guess that it was a fluke that I didn't transform right there. He made me laugh and he made me forget that I wasn't like the other girls. He made me feel human… and I liked the feeling. I'd just have to learn to be more careful around him if I wanted to keep him around.

…

Kyo

…

I tried to be careful around Ari from then on, but whenever I was around her I just kinda forgot that I was so much different than her. I found it easier and easier to laugh around her, and when I wasn't around her all I wanted to do was find her and be with her. I didn't even have to be talking to her. Just walking beside her or sitting near her made me smile. When I wasn't around her I was just about always thinking about her. I wasn't used to feeling like that… but I liked it. She gave me her number after a week or so and I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest the first time I called her, but once she was on the phone we didn't get off till three in the morning when Yuki got pissed off at me for laughing so hard and waking him up and disconnected the phones. At the next Martial Arts club meeting I did much better now that I knew just how seriously I needed to take Ari. I didn't win, but neither did she. Everyone was amazed 

that I could hold my own against her, After fighting for twenty minutes we decided to call it a tie.

"Thank God it's Friday!" Ari yelled the next day after school.

"Do you have plans?" Tohru asked Ari as we walked to the lockers.

"Nope. Got something in mind?" She asked.

"Yuki said that there's a new pizza place opening in town and thought it might be fun to go try it out and maybe see a movie afterwards. Uo and Hana, and Kyo and coming with us, so would you like to join us?" Tohru asked. This was the first I'd heard of it, but I was glad Tohru had just assumed I was going.

"Yeah, just let me go home and change. I only tolerate a skirt as long as I have to," Ari grinned.

"Uo and Hana and me are meeting at Yuki's house," Tohru said, phrasing it so it sounded like she didn't live with us. It would be bad if someone just overheard her talking about living with is. Tohru would probably be killed by the fan girls.

"I have no idea where that it," She laughed.

"I can walk you home… and take you to Yuki's house if that's okay," I said, and I was pretty sure that's what Tohru wanted to begin with. She thought we'd make a cute couple, and had told me so before.

"That works," Ari grinned as she closed her locker. "We'd better go ahead and go. I lost my house key and my Aunt said she was leaving at 4:30 to get me another one made so we've got to get there before she leaves," Ari said, looking down at her watch. "Shit, it's 4:10!" She yelped.

"We'll see you later," I said to Tohru as we ran off, Ari in the lead. She was a fast runner, with long, even strides. She didn't even look like she was getting tired at all. "How far away do you live?" I asked her as we ran.

"Not too far. Just a few blocks more," She smiled, going a little faster. We went two blocks more before turning right onto Sakura Avenue, a street lined with blooming cherry blossom trees. "And here we are," Ari said, stopping in front of the biggest and most ornate house on the entire street. She unlatched the wrought iron gate and held it open for me.

"Holy shit," I blinked, taking in the large home.

"Yeah, I live with my Aunt. She's a fashion designer, and a good one too. She's got boutiques in a lot of large cities," She explained and I nodded. It was hard for me to imagine that a wild scrapper like Ari lived in, what honestly looked like, a mega size Barbie dream house.

"Aunt Kaori!" Ari shouted once we were inside. The insides of the home were ten times as elegant as the outside, with marble tiled floors, a crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling and a coat hanger that looked to be carved out of gold, and that was just the foyer.

"Hey, hon. Good, now I can leave. I've got to get your key made and then drop these sketches off at the post office. Lady Manon, the one who runs the boutique in Paris, wanted some of the original sketches to show a few customers," Ari's Aunt said, coming from a different room into the foyer. She was beautiful and young. She couldn't have been older than thirty and she was wearing designer blue jeans and a silver shirt that shimmered when she moved. She had black hair too, but it was short and layered, with streaks of brown in it. "Who's your friend?" She smiled when she saw me.

"This is Kyo Sohma. He's a friend from school. Me, Kyo, Tohru, Yuki, Uo, and Hana are going out. Probably won't be back till late." Ari said and her aunt nodded.

"Alright, fine by me. It's nice to meet you Kyo," She smiled, shaking my hand. "I've got to go, though. Love you, Ari, have fun," she added, hugging Ari before heading out the door.

"I love my Aunt." Ari laughed as she went into another room and up a set of stairs. I wondered what happened to Ari's parents, but I wasn't going to ask her. Parents were a touchy subject. I followed her up the stairs, admiring the home and still trying to figure out how a girl like Ari grew up here. "This is my room," Ari smiled, opening a large door. I laughed when I walked inside. This was much more… Ari-like. The walls were Navy blue and covered with posters. Her bed sheets were a mixture of different shades of green and tan and there was a lava lamp on her bedside table. She had a decent sized stereo and a large stack of CDs beside it. There was a lap top computer on her desk, though it was covered up with mounds of paper and books. Her floor was strewn with pillows and clothes, but it looked lived it, not dirty. There was a small TV across the room and a PS2 hooked up to it.

"Cool room." I grinned.

"I'll be right back. Look around if you want," She said as she dug in her closet, pulling out some stuff and disappearing into her bathroom. I stood up and looked at all the posters before rifling through her CDs. She had good taste in music. Ten minutes later she emerged wearing baggy blue jeans with holes in them, a tight fitting black T-shirt with green paint splattered on it, black converse shoes and her stormy green eyes were lined with more eyeliner than before. Her long, black hair was down, billowing behind her when she moved. She looked beautiful, in a dark, modern kinda way. "What'cha think?" She grinned, spinning around as she modeled her outfit.

"…you're…cute." I managed to get out, face turning a little red. Cute wasn't right. She looked hot.

"Thanks," She grinned, walking towards me.

"We need to get going," I said, glancing down at my watch.

"Yeah, thanks for walking me home," Ari grinned, stretching a little and pushing the hair on her left side behind her ear. She led me downstairs again, locking the door behind her as we made our way outside and to my house, walking slowly this time.

"So where do you live?" Ari asked me.

"It's not too far from here, I guess. It's out in the middle of the woods." I shrugged.

"That sounds cool." Ari smiled as I led to way to my home.

…

Ari

…

Kyo led the way as we made our way to his and Yuki's house. We talked about all kinds of stuff. Kyo was a very easy person to talk to.

"And here we are," Kyo said, stopping in front of a cute little house with a nice yard and surrounded by woods. "Not as nice as your Aunt's place, but it's alright."

"I love it," I smiled as we walked up to the door and walked in, taking our shoes off at the door.

"Tohru, Uo, and Hana are upstairs." Yuki said as we walked in.

"Is that her? Is that her? Is that her?" an overly excited sing-song voice asked.

"Yes, that's her," Yuki said, looking irritated with whoever was asking. A man in a plain, tan robe jumped in front of my, bouncing around like a child. "Ahh, you must be Ari! I've heard so much about you! Why, you're just as beautiful as I thought you'd be!" He smiled.

"Shut up!" Yuki and Kyo both yelled at the same time but I laughed.

"Boys, be nice, I am simply complimenting our lovely guest on her beauty. I am Shigure, Yuki and Kyo's older cousin and guardian," Shigure smiled and I shook his hand. "Oh my! I'll never wash my hand again!" He sang, looking at his hand as if it were a gift from the gods.

"Idiot," Kyo muttered. "I'm going upstairs to change. Don't let him mess with you," Kyo said before walking away.

"I am offended," Shigure sighed. "So, Ari, tell me a little about yourself," Shigure smiled happily.

"Umm, I love sports, I run the martial arts club at school and I work at the Black Cat café downtown. Good enough?" I asked.

"Not quite. I have one question," He said and I thought he was going to ask me something serious. "What's your favorite color?" He smiled.

"Lime green," I laughed.

"Lime Green… interesting. Definitely a lively color, an exciting one. Very youthful. That tells me a lot about you," Shigure nodded.

"Sorry that took so long. We're ready to go," Tohru smiled as she, Hana, and Uo walked into the dining room where we were standing. Tohru had on this cute little yellow sun dress, Hana was dressed in a knee length black dress that looked like it had been snatched out of medieval times and it looked stunning on her. Uo had on a plain, long white dress that was cut down the sides and blue leggings underneath. Yuki really did look like a prince with his blue silk shirt and black jeans. I began to feel very much underdressed until Kyo came down in tan cargo pants and a black shirt that just barely showed his stomach. I wasn't going to say it out loud, but he looked hot. I was glad I wasn't the only one dressing casually.

"Ready to go?" Kyo grinned, making his way over to me and standing close enough that our arms brushed against each other. Shigure had this little 'I told you so' grin on his face and Yuki was smirking.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I smiled back, putting my shoes back on and walking outside with Kyo.

"Have fun! Be safe! Kyo, don't do anything stupid!" Shigure called and Kyo glowered at him.

'Interesting family,' I laughed to myself as we walked into town.


	5. Chapter 5

"_Like photos, love develops in darkness. Like flowers, love blooms in odd places."_

_-unknown_

Kyo

…

"You are going down, damn rat!" I yelled, rapidly pressing the attack button on the fighting game. There was an arcade in the pizza place where we ate and I jumped at the chance to fight Yuki on the mortal Kombat game. Tohru and Ari fought before us and Ari won by a long shot. It actually looked like Tohru had never picked up a video game controller in her life.

"Player one wins," The game said in a robotic voice.

"Yeah! Who's number one now, rat boy?" I grinned and Yuki rolled his eyes.

"Congratulations, Kyo, you beat me at a video game." Yuki said.

"I thought you both did great!" Tohru grinned.

"Good job, Kyo." Ari grinned, patting my shoulder in praise.

"Come on, Hana, fight me!" Uo begged.

"Video games are not my forte." Hana sighed in her misty voice.

"I'll take you on." Ari grinned and Uo shook her head.

"No thanks. You're merciless even at video games." Uo laughed as we made our way back to our table. Uo yanked up the last slice of sausage pizza and ate it absent mindedly and Tohru picked at a piece of desert pizza, not really hungry but keeping her hands busy with something.

"Are you ready to head over to the movies?" Yuki asked and Ari nodded.

"I think if I look at another piece of pizza I'm going to burst." Ari laughed. I was pretty sure she had seven pieces and I wondered where the hell she fit all that food.

"I agree." Hana said and we all walked outside. The streetlights were on and the sky was just turning dark. We had been in there for a good few hours.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Tohru smiled, looking up at the pink and purple clouds.

"It really is lovely." Hana smiled in agreement.

It was a short walk to the movie theatre and for the next ten minutes we stood around like idiots deciding on what movie to see.

"Let's see a horror movie! Yeah! Blood and gore!" I grinned, Ari and Uo looked up for it but Tohru looked scared out of her wits. "Or.. not." I added.

"How about the Mummy 3? It's lots of action and nothing scary." Uo smiled, patting Tohru's head.

"That's a good idea." Yuki nodded.

"Yeah, I've been wanting to see that one." Ari said, and if Ari wanted to see it then I was up for it.

"I'll pay." Ari said, darting up to the ticket lady before we could stop her. "Six for the Mummy three." She said, handing the woman thirty dollars right as I got to her.

"You didn't have to do that, Miss Ari." Yuki smiled.

"No biggie." Ari smiled as she passed out tickets.

"I'm getting a drink. Anyone else want one?" Uo asked as we walked in.

"Small sprite." Ari and I said at the same time and she laughed. "Want to split a medium?" she asked and I nodded.

"Hana? Tohru? Yuki?" Uo asked. Tohru and Yuki shook their heads.

"Small cherry coke, please." Hana said.

"You guys go ahead and get seats." Uo said as she marched over to the concession counter.

Ari and Tohru led the way into the theatre nine and sat down towards the back. Hana kept close to Tohru and of course the damn rat wanted to sit next to her so Ari was sandwiched between me and Yuki.

"Hail the conquering hero." Uo grinned as she passed Hana her drink and plopped down beside me. "Here you go, carrot top." She said as she handed me the medium sprite.

"Thanks, Yankie." I smirked as I put it in the cup holder between me and Ari. Uo just laughed as the lights dimmed down to nothing.

The movie started. It was okay, not the best I'd ever seen but I would've been content to sitting there watching a blank screen so long as Ari was beside me. About half way through the movie I 

reached for the drink, Finding Ari's hand there instead. I jumped, not expecting to grab her hand, but she just laughed and intertwined her fingers with mine. I felt funny, like my insides were doing a tap dance of some sort, but it felt kinda nice.

"That was a good ending." Hana sighed as the lights brightened and the credits rolled.

"I want a pet yeti now. I am going to go into the mountains, catch me a yeti, love her, hug her, squeeze her and call her Mimi." Ari said seriously and I laughed. It was remarks like that that made me seriously wonder if there was even a possibility of another girl in the world like Ari.

The sky was completely dark now. We might have been able to see the stars if not for the glowing street lights.

"Well that was fun, but I'm outta here. Hana, want me to walk you home?" Uo asked as she stretched her arms. If they got mugged on their way home I would fear for the mugger. Uo scared even me sometimes.

"That would be fine." Hana nodded. "Goodbye everyone." She said as they walked off.

"I'll see you back at the house. I'm walking Ari home." I said. I was sure Ari could make it home okay, but I wanted to be with her a little longer. I wouldn't admit that out loud, though.

"Bye, Yuki. Bye, Tohru." Ari said as we walked off. I wanted to get away from Yuki before he could start the teasing, though I was sure Shigure would be relentless with his little remarks when I got home. "We should do that again." Ari smiled. I glanced down at her hand, wanting to take hold of it again, but chickening out.

"Your cousin's funny." She said out of nowhere. "Shigure, I mean."

"He's a creepy pervert." I growled and she laughed. "I'm serious. My whole family is completely nuts, each cousin more mental than the next." I said, shuddering.

"Sounds like people I'd get along with." Ari laughed.

"If you can get along with me then you can get along with anyone." I said honestly. I definitely wasn't the… easiest person to be around at times. Somehow Ari managed to put up with me, though I wasn't exactly sure how.

"That's because I like you. I could be the biggest pain in your ass if I wanted to be." She said and I smirked. "You smile, but it's true."

"No, I know it. I've heard horror stories about your anger." I said and then it was her turn to laugh.

I loved talking to her. Normally, people were hard to get along with. I couldn't think of the right thing to say and wound up getting pissed, usually snapping at someone and regretting it. With Ari, it was just so easy. We reached her house faster than I would have liked and I walked her right up to the door.

"Thanks for walking me home." She said, smiling as if she really needed me for protection.

"No problem. Want to call later or will I just see you Monday?" I asked, knowing I sounded like a desperate idiot and for some reason I didn't care.

"Yeah, I'll call you in an hour or so. I'll try not to say anything funny after midnight." She grinned. "I'll talk to you later." She said, placing a shoulder on my shoulder to steady herself and 

kissing my cheek. It was a simple action, but one that left me stunned.

"Bye." I smiled. She didn't say anything in return but gave me one of those heart stopping smiles that makes you forget your own name. I walked back to my house, unable to wipe the little smile off my face.

…

Ari

…

I smiled at him before going inside and closing the door, smiling as I locked it up for the night.

"You can't do this to us!" My Aunt yelled. It scared me. My Aunt never yelled. "No, you're not getting her! I love her, and she's perfectly happy here! Dammit, Rin, don't do this!" She growled into the phone, pleading at the end. I ran into the kitchen and saw my Aunt crying as she hung up the phone.

"Aunt Kaori…" I started, now knowing what to say.

"It was your father… he wants you back." She said, tears spilling over as she slid down the wall, unable to stand any longer.

"He can go to hell! I'm not living with him! I'll run away before I go to live with that bastard!" I spat.

"He's still your father… you don't have a choice." She said, looking the perfect image of a woman broken inside. Then something hit her. She suddenly wasn't broken anymore and a determination gleamed in her eyes. "Or do you…"


	6. Chapter 6

Hey beloved readers! Sorry it took me so long to update, so I have a longer-than-usual chapter for you. Review if you love me, cause nice reviews encourage me to write faster and they make me smile.

-Rosetta

...

"_A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous. _

_Ingrid Bergman_

-Recap-

"He's still your father… you don't have a choice." She said, looking the perfect image of a woman broken inside. Then something hit her. She suddenly wasn't broken anymore and a determination gleamed in her eyes. "Or do you…"

-end of recap-

…

Ari

…

"What do you mean?" I asked, desperate for one of my Aunt's genius ideas.

"You have to get out of here. You can't be here when he gets here." She said, eyes drying a little. I loved my Aunt, and she was right. I was better off on my own than with him. My dad never cared about me. Why the hell would he start now? "He'll come here looking for you and hopefully I can talk him out of whatever the hell he's thinking." My Aunt said and I nodded in agreement.

"There's a lot of money in your bank account, so use it if you need to." Aunt Kaori added. I had had a bank account since I turned eight. My father sent money to it every month and my Aunt added to it on a regular basis so that I would have money when I left home. I just didn't think it'd be this soon. "Leave whenever you can. I don't know when he's coming and let me know who you're staying with so I can call you."

"Okay." I said, though honestly I didn't know where I was going to stay. Hana had a huge family and I didn't want to add to the population in her home. Uo lived in a one room apartment, so there wasn't really room for two. I didn't even know where Tohru lived and I wouldn't dream of asking any of my Martial arts students. "I guess I can live on my own for awhile." I said to myself as I walked up to my room and started packing the clothes I would need for a week or so. If I needed more I could just go shopping or ask my Aunt to bring me more clothes. It wouldn't cost too much to get a one room apartment for a little while, one like Uo's. "This won't be so bad." I smiled as I blasted my music and continued to throw things into my duffel bag.

…

Kyo

…

"Awwww! Does Kyo have a widdle girl fwiend?" Shigure cooed and I came very close to hitting him right in the center of his face. A nose was an easy thing to break.

"Shut up!" I growled.

"We're just all amazed that someone can stand to be around you with that temper of yours." Yuki sighed.

"I wouldn't say that at all! Ari's a lot like Kyo, and they make a cute couple!" Tohru said, attempting to defend her feline friend but only making it worse.

"I bet they make a lovely couple! So how did the movies go? Did you hold her hand? Did'ja kiss er'?" Shigure grinned.

"I'm leaving." I said, leaving the room. It was already eleven so I figured Ari must be busy. I climbed onto the roof, figuring I'd hear it if she called. 'I'll just call her tomorrow. No biggie.' I reasoned as I went back down to my room and fell asleep.

…

Ari

…

"If you need anything just call me, Okay?" Aunt Kaori smiled as she hugged me goodbye. "Do you know where you're going to stay?" She asked and I shook my head.

"No, but I'll call you when I do. Don't worry." I smiled as her but she didn't look convinced. I walked outside, enjoying the sunshine of the day. I carried a phone book in my hands, walking to the different addresses of Apartment complexes, looking for a place to live. After four hours I hadn't found anything. Almost all of the places I found were in bad neighborhoods, and the other ones were more than my pride allowed me to pay for a temporary place. I wandered the streets, eventually finding my way to a familiar cemetery and walking to my mother's grave.

"Hey, mom." I said, setting down my bag and leaning against the tombstone. I hadn't been to see mom in a week, and it always calmed me to be around her. I sighed as I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

…

Kyo

…

It was four O'clock in the afternoon when I heard the phone ring. Thinking it was Ari I grabbed the phone and answered it.

"Hello?" her Aunt said. She sounded upset.

"Hey, It's Kyo. What's wrong?" I asked.

"Have you seen Ari today… by any chance?" Kaori said and that shocked me. The tone of her voice scared me.

"No, was I supposed to meet her?" I asked, not remembering agreeing to meet her somewhere.

"No… she left this morning and was supposed to call me but… I haven't heard from her." She sighed.

"…Is Ari in some sort of trouble?" I questioned in a quiet, worried voice.

"I… Ari's father is causing a few… issues. She's supposed to be staying at a friend's house for a few days." She said, pausing to take a deep breath. "I can't tell you the whole story… Ari will tell you if she wants to… but would you please call her friends and ask where she is? I'm worried about her." She asked.

"I'll find her." I said hastily, hanging up and bolting to Tohru's room, pounding on her door.

"Will you leave her alone? She said she was taking a nap." Yuki said as he walked upstairs. I kept pounding.

"Kyo…what's the matter?" She asked groggily as she opened her door.

"I need you to call Hana and Uo." I said, handing her the phone. "Ari's missing and I need you to call and ask if they're with them. If you know any of her other friends call them too." I said in one breath. Tohru's eyes widened as she took the phone and rapidly dialed the numbers. She called Uo first, explaining what was going on. Ari wasn't there. She called Hana and Hana said she hadn't seen her since yesterday night.

"I don't know any of her other friends." Tohru said. I didn't think she had any close friends besides Tohru, Hana and Uo that she would stay with.

"Don't panic. Maybe Ari just stopped somewhere to eat and is taking a long time. Let's just go out and look for her. If we can't find her by nightfall we call the police." Yuki said and I nodded.

"Shigure, give me your cell phone!" I called as I walked downstairs.

"What's the matter?" Shigure asked with a wide eyed face.

"Ari's missing, now give me the damn cell phone!" I snapped and he dug around in a cabinet before tossing it to me.

"Shigure, stay here. She might come here eventually." Yuki said and Shigure nodded.

I bolted out of the door. The worst thoughts were running through my head. 'What if she was kidnapped?' 'What if she got mugged?' 'What if she got hurt and was in the hospital?' I shook the thoughts of Ari in a hospital bed out of my mind and ran faster, ignoring the fatigue. I ran for an hour and didn't catch a glimpse of her, but I'd be out here all night before I'd go home and not know she was safe. I hated to, but I had to slow down and catch my breath, leaning against a cemetery gate. I took in a few deep breaths, ignoring the pain in my sides and was about to start running again when I saw someone leaning against a tombstone with long hair as black as night. I squinted, trying to see her better. It was Ari. I jumped over the cemetery gate, too hasty to walk around to the entrance. I skidded to a stop by her. She was sleeping, looking peaceful as an angel as she dozed. Here she was, sleeping on a tombstone while I'm frantic about her getting kidnapped or mugged. I leaned down, grabbing her shoulder and shaking her lightly. She leapt to her feet, taking a fighting stance with wide, alert eyes.

"Woah, woah! Just me! Don't kill me." I said. "Damn, you're hard to find!" I groaned as I rubbed my forehead, trying to calm myself.

"Sorry…" She said, eyes suddenly distant. She looked wobbly for a moment, her legs quivering beneath her, and she began to fall.

"Ari!" I grunted as I lunged for her, catching her in my arms right before she reached the ground. I waited to go –poof- and turn into a cat but it didn't happen. Miraculously, our chests didn't touch as I caught her.

I looked at her face, trying to see if she was alright. Her stormy eyes returned to their usual brilliant sheen and she shook her head slightly.

"Sorry, stood up to fast. Sorta blacked out." She laughed.

We were close. Only inches apart. I could feel her sweet breath on my face and I felt like I might lose it and hug her at any second, though no matter how many warning bells went off in my head I found myself unable to move, lost in those sea-green eyes of hers. I felt myself being drawn towards her, and I didn't fight it.

"You should be more careful." I whispered. Then I kissed her. It was nothing but a kiss; two lips touching together, but the simple kiss set me on fire. Every move she made sent a new wave of fire through my blood and it was all I could do not to hug her to me and kiss her till the end of time.

Sooner than I would have liked, I ran out of breath. I reluctantly pulled away, my arms still suspending Ari's small frame above the ground. I could still feel the kiss on my lips. Ari smiled up at me before leaning up and stealing another quick kiss.

"I don't need to be careful when you're around to catch me, now do I?" She laughed as I lifted her to her feet again. I smirked at her.

"Come on, you're Aunt's worried about you." I said as I looked around the cemetery. "Why are you here, anyways?"

"I was visiting my mom." She said and I blinked. "This is her." She said as she pointed to the gravestone she was leaning on. It read 'Kaiya Sohma Tanzaku.'

'Her mom's name was Sohma…. That's a coincidence.' I thought. "I… didn't know."

"I never really knew her that well. She died when I was seven." She sighed. "But it was a long time ago." She said, brightening up and smiling again.

"Come on. It's getting late." I said, taking her hand and slinging her bag over my shoulder.

"You're looking for a place to stay for awhile?" I asked and she nodded. "Why didn't you even talk to Uo or Hana about it?" I questioned.

"Uo has such a small apartment and Hana doesn't really have room with all of her family." She explained.

"Stay with me." I said and she gave me a weird look. "Not like that! We have an extra room. You'll have to share it with Tohru, but you're welcome to it. My cousins are weird as hell, but you can stay there for as long as you need to." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you." She smiled, and I thought she might try to hug me, but she didn't. Just squeezed my hand a little tighter and lifted it to her face, kissing the top of my hand. It sent chills all up and down my arm.

"I'll have to ask Shigure, but I'm sure he won't mind." I said, smiling her as I led her to my house. She looked beat.

"I didn't know Tohru lived with you." She said after awhile.

"Yeah. After her mom died she needed a place to stay. Shigure and Yuki found her camping out in the woods and took her in." I explained and she laughed.

"So you guys just like taking in strays." She grinned.

"Heh. Something like that." I smirked.

"Oh thank goodness!" Tohru yelled as soon as we walked in, running over to Ari and hugging her.

"I'll call Yuki and tell him he can stop looking. I'm glad you're alright, Ari." Shigure smiled at her before heading into the kitchen and calling Yuki's cell phone. I followed him into the kitchen, closing the door behind me.

"I need to talk to you." I said once he was off the phone and he raised an eyebrow at me before walking outside so we wouldn't be heard. "She needs a place to stay for awhile. I don't know the details… but it's got something to do with her dad." I said and Shigure nodded.

"As long as she doesn't know about the curse she's fine to stay… but you do realize that if she finds out, Akito could easily have Tohru's memories erased too." Shigure said. I had thought of that… but I couldn't turn my back on Ari if I could help her.

"I understand." I nodded before walking back inside.

"Congratulations, Ari! Welcome to the Sohma house of fun and excitement!" Shigure cheered as we entered and I fought not to punch him.

"Don't say it like that, you perv!" I shouted.

"You're staying here? Oh, how wonderful! I won't be the only girl anymore!" Tohru smiled.

The door opened and Yuki walked in, smiling when he saw Ari. "Miss Ari, you certainly gave us a scare today."

"Sorry about that, but a little running won't kill you." Ari grinned, having her usual 'no harm no fowl' attitude.

"Yuki, Ari's gonna be staying with us! Isn't that great?!" Tohru grinned happily, jumping around in some sort of silly dance.

"Oh, really? That's wonderful." Yuki smiled.

(later on)

"Do you think we'll manage with two girls in the house? We can't let her find out." Yuki said. Tohru and Ari were up in their room, putting Ari's things away.

"We can't just ignore her either. I found her sleeping in a cemetery." I sighed.

"Indeed. I think we'll be fine. Tohru's a smart girl. If one of us happens to transform she'll help us make an excuse." Shigure said.

"I just hope it won't come down to that." Yuki sighed and I nodded. I would just have to be extra careful around Ari from now. So much depended on it.


End file.
